John Havlicek was a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played for the Boston Celtics from 1962 to 1978.
He is an 8-time NBA Champion. In 1974, he was named the NBA Finals MVP. He is also a 13-time NBA All-Star. In 1984, he was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was named to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
After he retired from professional basketball, the Celtics retired his jersey Number. The Ohio State Buckeyes also retired the No.5 jersey in his honor. He was named to the 35th, 50th, and 75th NBA Anniversary Teams.
| Position | Small Forward |
| Height / weight | 1.96 m / 92 kg |
| Born | 8 Apr 1940 |
| Died | 25 Apr 2019 (79 years) |
| Nationality |
United States
|
| Playing Style | Right Handed |
| Nickname | Hondo |
| Team History | |
Boston
|
1962 - 1978 |
Player Profile and Personal Life
John Joseph Havlicek was born on April 8, 1940, in Martins Ferry, Ohio and he died on April 25, 2019, in Jupiter, Florida at the age of 79. He stood 196 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 92 kg. Havlicek is of Croatian and Czech descent.
He married his wife Beth while in college. They married in 1967. His son-in-law is a former Major League Baseball Player Brian Buchanan. Havlicek had Parkinson’s disease.
He died on April 25, 2019, at the age of 79. Later, the Boston City Hall was lit green in memory of Havlicek.
High School and College Career
He attended Bridgeport High School in Ohio. In addition to basketball, he also played baseball and was friends with Phil Niekro. He went on to play college basketball for the Ohio State University. While in Ohio, he was roommates with Larry Siegfried. He was also on the same team as Jerry Lucas.
In 1960, he helped his team reach the NCAA Championship. In 1962, he was named to the Consensus Second-Team All-American.
Professional Career
Havlicek was drafted into the NBA during the 1962 Draft. He was also drafted by the National Football League by the Cleveland Browns. He competed with the Browns for a short while before he decided to focus on playing for the Celtics.
While he was with the Celtics, he was named an NBA All-Star thirteen times. He also helped the Celtics win the NBA Championship eight times. In 1974, he was the NBA Finals MVP. Other achievements include being named to the All-NBA Second Team seven times and being named to the All-NBA First Team four times.
He retired from the NBA in 1978 and when he did, the Celtics retired his Jersey Number. The Ohio State Buckeyes also retired Jersey No.5 in his honor. He was later named to the 35th, 50th, and 75th NBA Anniversary Team. In 1984, he was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Career Highlights
- 1963–1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976 -NBA champion
- 1974 - NBA Finals MVP
- 1966–1978 - NBA All-Star
- 1971–1974 - All-NBA First Team
- 1964, 1966, 1968–1970, 1975, 1976 -All-NBA Second Team
- 1972–1976 - NBA All-Defensive First Team
- 1969–1971 - NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1963 - NBA All-Rookie First Team
NBA anniversary team (35th, 50th, and 75th)
No. 17 retired by the Boston Celtics
- 1960 - NCAA champion
- 1962 - Consensus second-team All-American
1961 - Third-team All-American – AP
No. 5 retired by Ohio State Buckeyes
- Basketball Hall of Fame as a player -1984
- College Basketball Hall of Fame -2006
